DiNapoli Concurs With Cuomo On Budget (For Now)

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released a statement echoing Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s sentiment that the budget passed by the Legislature is “significant for what it does not do,” eschewing new taxes, fee hikes and one-shots in favor of spending cuts.

The comptroller also praised the fact that the 2011-2012 plan doesn’t rely on borrowing to pay operating expenses – a big no-no in the world of responsible budgeting.

“These are welcome changes from the short-term fixes and budget gimmicks of the past,” said DiNapoli, (who, of course, is a former assemblyman and voted in favor of all those budgets that included the same “fixes” and “gimmicks” he’s now decrying).

The comptroller acknowledged the budget will not come without considerable “pain,” especially for school districts and health care providers who are now facing a “formidable challenge to absorb significant cuts in funding.”

When school districts present voters with their proposed budgets in May, we will start to see the impact of these cuts at the local level,” DiNapoli continued. “In addition, the cuts in health care must be managed to minimize the impact on those most in need of care.”

“Now comes the hard part. The state, local governments and school districts must now not only do more with less but do it better as well. All of us in government have to watch tax dollars and monitor spending very closely.”

“My office will begin its comprehensive review of the budget and will issue a report soon after the Financial Plan is released by the Division of the Budget.”